Well, the rankings for the Democratic-controlled 110th Congress are out, and there is good news and bad news.

First, the failures (let's not bury the lede, you know).  There is good news in that this time around -- only FOUR Senators scored 'D' or 'F.'  The utter failures are, with 'D' scores:

Tom Coburn (R-OK)
Michael Enzi (R-WY)
John McCain (R-AZ)

The 'F' goes to Jim DeMint (R-SC).

What an utter disgrace that John McCain, the man who self-servingly whores out his military experience as if to pretend he cares about even one of his fellow veterans, remains among the very worst of the Senate when it comes to caring for our veterans. I would go as far as to say that McCain's heart must be black, indeed, to so callously send these men and women off to war, and then to fuck them with a knife if they're lucky enough to come back. All four men should be ashamed of themselves, but especially John McCain, he whose only real claim to fame is that he's a shitty pilot and it finally caught up with him one fateful day in Hanoi. But then again, John McCain was a self-serving bastard before he became a POW, while he was a POW, and has been ever since. What a fucking asshole.

In the entire House of Representatives, only five representatives scored a 'D' or 'F.'  That should really put in perspective how bad John McCain is for troops and veterans, how much he actually loathes and disdains them.  Out of over five-hundred members of Congress, John McCain is one of the NINE worst.  Wow!  Just...wow!  The representatives who scored 'D's are:

John Campbell (R-CA)
Chris Cannon (R-UT)
John Duncan (R-TN)
Tom Tancredo (R-CO)

And the 'F' goes to, you guessed it, Ron Paul (R-TX).

The IAVA notes that "[t]hese legislators must improve their voting records if they are to legitimately claim that they support our troops and veterans."  That goes especially for you, John McCain, you asshole.

(Are you surprised all the failures are Republicans? Me neither.)

Now, time for some accolades!  Far too many members of the House of Representatives received 'A's and 'A+'s to list here, so click here to see how your Congress-critter did.  I'm thrilled to note that my Congressman, Steve Cohen (D-TN) received an A+.

Let's look at the Senate now.  Barack Obama received a solid 'B' this year, which means he could do more, but he's on the right track, which is far more than can be said for John McCain.  I'm thrilled to see the number of Senators who received 'A's, and to see that there are actually a few Republicans on the list.  They are capable of being halfway decent people, some of them.  The 'A's in the Senate are as follows, with the 'A+'s in bold print:

Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Max Baucus (D-MT), Evan Bayh (D-IN), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Kit Bond (R-MO), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Robert Byrd (D-WV), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Thomas Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Susan Collins (R-ME), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Pete Domenici (R-NM), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Tim Johnson (D-SD), John Kerry (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Herb Kohl (D-WI), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Carl Levin (D-MI), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Dick Lugar (R-IN), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Harry Reid (D-NV), John Rockefeller (D-WV), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Gordon Smith (R-OR), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Arlen Specter (R-PA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jon Tester (D-MT), John Warner (R-VA), Jim Webb (D-VA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Everyone on that bi-partisan (but still mostly Democratic) list cares for, respects, supports, and loves our troops and veterans far more than John McCain's black soul does.  Supporting our troops and veterans should not be a "liberal" position to take, although that's indeed how it's played out over the last few years.  As I said, I'm thrilled to see that a few Republicans have started to come to Jesus on these issues, though I'm not completely surprised which Republicans have and which have not.  Many of the Republicans who did better this year, I notice, are up for re-election.  I would suggest that their constituents study their entire careers, their previous ratings, before assuming that they're actually good for veterans.  Funny, though, isn't it, that John McCain, who has shown himself to be willing to roll over on his principles whenever it serves him, isn't even willing to pretend that he cares about veterans and troops as he seeks the highest office in the land.

Asshole.

Spread this around.  This year, more than any other in recent memory, people need to be armed with the real facts, not the facts that come through talking points and catch phrases.

(h/t Think Progress)

Please vote no on the $700 Billion bailout plan to buy mortgage securities from private companies. This is not an appropriate way to utilize public dollars for the public good as the money will primarily benefit the wealthy CEOs and middle managers who caused this financial crisis in the first place.

All of the Twin Cities residents I've heard talking about the "bail out" plan have had nothing good to say about it -- and many, like my self, suspect it is being orchestrated by the subprime securities industry to prevent them from experiencing the downside of the foolish risks they've taken.

Vote no on the bail out and tell Corporate America that it needs to face the consequences of its actions.

I'll be posting Amy, Keith and Norm's responses as they come in.

As you might imagine, there was a great deal of anticipation regarding Michelle Obama's opening night speech among the people at the Pepsi Center on the night of August 25th. Senator Kennedy had already used Caroline's introduction as a springboard to launch a monumental reiteration of his endorsement - not just of Obama, but of his entire vision and leadership style, likening it to the best memories of JFK, exhorting all to dare to believe in a "New Season Of Hope." Still, the wife of the soon-to-be Democratic nominee was arguably the most anticipated appearance of the evening. Many of the delegates, and no few of the others in attendance, are at their first national convention. The Obamas have inspired undeniable fascination and loyalty. As you talk to people who have come to Denver for the event, it's clear that part of what they're hoping for is the sort of budding inspiration Mrs. Obama represents for young women, and that will clearly blossom if Michelle and Barack become the next residents of the White House. Michelle, working forward from her brother's introduction, stepped through her background, and delivered a deft speech touching all the highlights that have formed and informed her values, and those of Barack. She painted a picture of her relationship to Barack, and the harmony of their experiences, values, and aspirations, paying tribute to others who have worked for the betterment of life in the United States, from military families to Senator Hillary Clinton.

"All of us driven by the simple belief that the world as it is just won't do. That we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be. That is the thread that connects our hearts. That is the thread that runs through my journey, and Barack's journey, and so many other improbable journeys that have brought us here tonight, where the current of history meets this new tide of hope."

Michelle Obama describes in her husband's rise a story that can inspire millions, but she never talks about how she herself is also a figure of inspiration, despite at times during the campaign having served as a lightning rod for those who seek to prevent Barack Obama's further ascendancy. We hear about their decision making process, but Michelle remains modestly focused on Barack's story. Yet we all know that this strong, brilliant, successful woman will serve as a role model for millions herself as she continues to exhibit poise and charm amid the disagreeable tactics of those seeking to undermine Obama's run for the Oval Office.

"He knows that the thread that connects us -- our belief in America's promise, our commitment to our children's future -- is strong enough to hold us together as a nation even when we disagree."

But to listen to the people streaming out of the Pepsi center in the wake of her eloquent, effective speech, where comments included numerous metaphors for success, you'd have to realize that every speaker of the night, from those who took the stage early such as MN Senator Amy Klobuchar and Angela Morgan, to Caroline and Ted Kennedy, to even Michelle and Barack himself during his video visit after her speech, were upstaged by Sasha and Malia. Miguel Del Valle, who had to follow Ted Kennedy's speech, must be thanking his lucky stars that he wasn't on following Malia and Sasha. No parent can fail to react to their unrehearsed affection, expressed so candidly, for their father - which tells us more about Barack Obama, perhaps, than all the efforts of those who seek to deliberately shape our opinions of him, pro or con.

digg this story

While the idea that Obama is an ordinary American given an extraordinary opportunity was emphasized, so was the idea that he is part of a long and truly special historical legacy. He was connected to Martin Luther King, Jr.; to John and Robert Kennedy; to other great Democratic and even Republican presidents; and more generally to all of the great progressive movements in our history.

More analysis and commentary beneath the fold . . .

Another theme that kept recurring yesterday was ethics, particularly that Barack Obama had made ethics reform his first priority when he came to the U.S. Senate. This first came up during Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar's speech. To me, this indicates that the Obama campaign may be getting ready to hammer home the McCain campaign's deep association with lobbyists and to tie this into the Republican corruption that helped drive Republicans out of the congressional majority in 2006.

One thing I was not impressed by was the "America's Town Hall" event hosted by Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown. It included an all-star panel of experts -- including former Clinton economic advisor Laura Tyson, former Gore education advisor John Schnur, Nebraska community health expert Lisa Olivares, and New Hampshire health policy expert Ned Helms -- but seemed strangely out of place, sort of like a Democratic infomercial. The information conveyed wasn't really all that useful or specific, but it did hammer home the point that Obama is for positive change on these issues and McCain is for more of the same.

I was pleasantly surprised by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's speech. She pointed out all of the good things that the Democratic Congress has accomplished, vitally important for her to do in the face of a disturbingly low public approval rating and problems with the Democratic base. Not only that, but she also presented one of the best attacks against John McCain. Referring to McCain's experience mantra, she pointed out that McCain's decades in the Senate haven't meant much because "John McCain has the experience of being wrong." She also provided one of the best crowd interactions of the night, leading them to chant: "Barack Obama is right, and John McCain is wrong."

I thought one of the most powerful moments was the Hurricane Katrina video featuring former President Jimmy Carter. I think this was undoubtedly the best use of Carter's talents at the convention, invoking his widely respected authority on humanitarian issues. Carter pointed to Hurricane Katrina as the centerpiece of the anti-administration administration.

Barack Obama's half-sister, Maya Soetoro-ng, spoke at the convention. She pointed out that her family's story is the American story, and she argued that her brother has benefited from American opportunity and wants to make sure that all Americans have that kind of opportunity. Did you know she's a U.S. history teacher? I wonder if the pundits think that's exotic?

Illinois Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. explicitly connected Barack Obama's candidacy to Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement. He made the case that Obama is the people's candidate and that he will seek to unite America across all of the lines that currently divide us. Money quote: "Freedom in America has never rung from a higher mountain top than it does today."

Caroline Kennedy introduced her uncle, Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, reminding us that Teddy has been our senator too on so many issues and in so many ways. Her introduction was followed by a tribute to Sen. Kennedy, and then he spoke. Lots of money quotes here, including: "This is a season of hope" and "Yes we can -- and finally, yes we will" in regard to universal health care. But I think the best was the following:

Barack Obama will close the book on the old politics of race, and gender, and group against group, and straight against gay. . . . The work begins anew, the hope rises again, and the dream lives on.

I think Kennedy's convention endorsement was probably the best one Obama will receive, because it effectively designated him as the heir to the Kennedy legacy. Ted Kennedy all but said that Camelot had returned in the form of Barack Obama's candidacy. It was strongly suggested that Obama's new politics of hope are the reincarnation of the politics of John and Robert Kennedy.

Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin introduced former Iowa Republican Rep. Jim Leach, one of several prominent Republicans for Obama. Leach connected Obama to presidents he views as historical greats from both parties, including Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush (I would have to disagree with him on the latter two). This was a wringing endorsement of Obama's post-partisan philosophy.

Leach also subtly but clearly attacked McCain. He turned McCain's "Country First" slogan back on him, stating: "In troubled times it was understood that country comes before party," implying that McCain has put party before country. But probably the most damning statement for McCain was the following: "Little is riskier to the national interest than more of the same." Leach's support could put Obama over the top in Iowa, where McCain is not well liked anyway.

Aside from Michelle Obama, my favorite speaker of the night was probably Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill. I'm fairly sure that most of her speech was meant to be directed specifically to the Clinton supporters out there who are planning to vote McCain. Her speech is worth quoting at length.

For eight years we have watched our government take care of the few, the powerful, and the extremely wealthy. We have seen our dream put at risk by George Bush's Washington. John McCain is running for four more years of the same old politics and the exact same failed policies that we had under George Bush. They did tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, they did everything Big Oil asked, and look where we are. Come on, America! Let's call on our common sense and stay focused on what's important. We cannot choose that path again. That's a risk the American people cannot afford to take.

She then turned to the issue of women's rights, and this I'm sure was intended for female Clinton supporters:

I know this son of a single mom will stand up for the dreams of our daughters, and I know that John McCain won't. There is only one candidate in this race who has fought for equal pay for equal work by America's women -- that candidate is Barack Obama.

Last, but certainly not least, the next first lady of the United States of America -- Michelle Obama -- was introduced by her brother, Craig Robinson. Prior to this, I had never really heard Michelle Obama speak except in interview snippets. So I had no idea that I was in for one of the best, most inspiring speeches of my life. Any doubts I had about Obama's candidacy disappeared after hearing Mrs. Obama speak last night, and I am quite sure that Obama will win in a landslide and be one of the great historical presidents. I do think it's worth quoting a few lengthy parts of Michelle Obama's speech:

And Barack stood up that day and he spoke words that have stayed with me ever since. He talked about the world as it is and the world as it should be, and he said that all too often we accept the distance between the two and we settle for the world as it is even when it doesn't reflect our values and aspirations. But he reminded us that we also know what the world should like -- look like. He said we know what fairness and justice and opportunity look like, and he urged us to believe in ourselves, to find the strength within ourselves to strive for the world as it should be.

And isn't that the great American story? It's the story of men and women gathered in churches and union halls and high school gyms, and people who stood up and marched and risked everything they had, refusing to settle, determined to mould our future into the shape of our ideals. . . .

As I tuck that little girl in, as I tuck that little girl in and her little sister into bed at night, you see, I think about how one day they'll have families of their own, and how one day they and your sons and daughters will tell their own children about what we did together in this election. They'll tell them, they'll tell them how this time we listened to our hopes instead of our fears; how this time, how this time we decided to stop doubting and to start dreaming; how this time in this great country -- where a girl from the south side of Chicago can go to college and law school, and the son of a single mother from Hawaii can go all the way to the White House -- that we committed ourselves, we committed ourselves to building the world as it should be.

So tonight, in honor of my father's memory, and my daughters' future; out of gratitude for those whose triumphs we mark this week and those whose everyday sacrifices have brought us to this moment -- let us devote ourselves to finishing their work, let us work together to fulfill their hopes, and let us stand together to elect Barack Obama president of the United States of America. Thank you. God bless you, and God bless America.

What can you even say about that, except: "Wow!"?

Leaving Barack Obama aside for a moment and thinking about the bigger party picture, today was very much about the future of the party and showing fresh faces. Many of those we saw today are either relative unknowns on the national stage (like Jesse Jackson, Jr.), or complete unknowns on the national stage (like the Illinois state politicians), or newcomers and rising stars swept into office during the 2006 revolution (Klobuchar, Brown, and McCaskill).

While I expect that the role of the establishment will increase exponentially over the next couple days, I think today indicates that Obama will be a forward thinking president concerned about America's future as well as a forward thinking party leader who's more about moving forward than being stuck in the past. He will revolutionize America and that, of course, is the reason to elect him president; but I believe he will also revolutionize the Democratic Party and usher in a new generation of leadership, and that would certainly be a welcome development. The windows need thrown open, and they were at least cracked yesterday at the convention.

"Saat ini ada indikasi bahwa pemerintah ingin memulai perang dengan Iran. Dan mereka sedang merancang alasan untuk memulai perang serta membentuk opini publik agar siap menghadapi perang itu, " kata Omeid Mohsseini-juru bicara aksi unjuk rasa-warga negara AS keturunan Iran.

Ia melanjutkan, "Dengan resolusi-resolusi baru ini, mereka akan memblokade kapal-kapal Iran, perdagangan, semuanya. Dan hal itu bisa memicu perang."

Para aktivis anti-perang itu mendesak Senator Amy Klobuchar dan Norm Coleman, serta anggota Kongres Jim Ramstad menarik dukungan atas draft undang-undang yang saat ini sedang ditunda pembahasannya di Kongres AS. Draft tersebut diajukan oleh anggota DPR dan Senat AS, berisi seruan agar pemerintah AS menerapkan sanksi yang lebih berat pada Iran.
Salah butir draft bernomer H. Res 362, berisi desakan agar Presiden AS memperketat inspeksi pada semua orang, kendaraan, kapal-kapal, pesawat, kereta dan kargo yang menuju atau dari Iran.

Dalam aksi damai yang dikordinir oleh organisasi perdamaian lokal serta organisasi Woman Against Military Madness, putera Keith Ellison-Muslim AS pertama yang terpilih menjadi anggota Kongres-membacakan pernyataan dukungan dari ayahnya.

Sementara Mohssenini mengatakan, ia menentang konfrontasi AS dengan Iran baik sebagai orang Iran sekaligus warga negara Amerika. "Pertama, saya adalah orang Iran dan keluarga, sahabat serta kerabat saya masih tinggal di Iran dan saya sangat peduli dengan keselamatan mereka, " tukas Mohsseini.

"Kedua, saya warga negara Amerika dan saya prihatin dengan kejahatan-kejahatan yang bisa dilakukan atas nama saya, seperti AS telah melakukannya di Irak, Afghanistan dan wilayah-wilayah lainnya, " sambung Mohsseini.

Wakil dari para veteran perang dari Minneapolis, Andy Burman juga menentang perang dengan Iran. "Perang dengan Iran akan menjadi tragedi bagi rakyat AS dan bagi rakyat Iran. Perang itu juga akan memperburuk stabilitas perdamaian tidak hanya di Timur Tengah tapi juga seluruh dunia, " kata Burman setelah memberikan orasinya.

Burman menuding Kongres dan pemerintahan Bush sedang berusaha membayar kekalahan mereka dalam perang di Irak, dengan mengobarkan perang lainnya dengan Iran.

Burman juga mengecam lembaga American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) yang ikut berperan dalam upaya mengobarkan perang dengan Iran. "Mereka (AIPAC) tidak mewakili keinginan kalangan Yahudi Amerika yang sangat menginginkan perdamaian, " tukas Burman yang juga keturunan Yahud. (Sumber : Eramuslim)

GALLERY (Make Peace No War)

No, “homeland security” rightly understood must mean the protection of our nation’s laws. If society is a social contract, then people come to the United States and remain in the U.S. because they agree to live by the law in a land where others do the same, thus gaining civil rights while submitting to the authority elected to enforce those laws. Defined as such, the biggest threat to homeland security today could very well be the Department of Homeland Security.

Since the 1990s, and more aggressively since 2006, DHS has been militarizing the border. Having lived in the border town of Brownsville, Texas, I can personally attest to the effects this militarization has had on local residents from California and Arizona to Texas. I have had a gun pulled on me by a Border Patrol agent as I ran on a dirt trail along the border, not unlike so many cross-country trails here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Countless friends of mine have faced aggravation and humiliation as they crossed the secure border checkpoint more than 30 miles north of the Rio Grande. Third and fourth-generation Americans have been followed and questioned by police in every one of these border towns, simply because of the color of their skin or their fluency in Spanish.

With the Secure Fence Act of 2006, the law which mandates nearly 700 miles of border wall for our nation’s southern border, these dehumanizing factors were magnified in border communities. The Department of Homeland Security has used the REAL-ID Act to waive 11 laws in Arizona and more than 30 environmental and local laws in the Rio Grande Valley in order to expedite the construction of an eighteen-foot wall between the U.S. and Latin America. With the REAL ID Act, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, an unelected official, has been granted the unconditional power to waive any and all laws “necessary to ensure expeditious construction of the barriers and roads under this section;” in effect, this gives Chertoff the power to undo countless laws voted on by elected officials in our nation’s Legislative Branch, thereby undermining the very “homeland security” it purports to protect, not to mention our system of checks and balances.

Despite the dour state of affairs in our nation’s handling of the border region and immigration, we have all seen real homeland security take place in our communities. Leaders like Father Paul Oderkirk in towns like Pottsville, Iowa, have offered support and banded together with immigrants after the terror of an ICE raid on their Agriprocessors Inc. kosher slaughterhouse in May. Organizations like the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, the University of Texas at Brownsville, and the Texas Border Coalition of mayors have all sought to defend homeland security by opposing the Secure Fence Act which divides rather than cooperates with our neighbors and the REAL ID Act which negates our nation’s checks and balances. We have seen homeland security in the integration of our community sports teams, English-as-a-Second-Language classes, hospitals, and churches. Every time a recent immigrant is welcomed, each instant someone takes the time to help another get involved, there is homeland security. Please show your solidarity by supporting immigrant resource centers like Rochester’s Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement and the Advocates for Human Rights, as well as writing your encouragement to beleaguered Americans on our southern border. Additionally, a letter to our senators Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar could go a long way to encouraging real “homeland security” instead of distracting and costly excuses for real immigration reform.

Or maybe not!

Bush along with his clone, McCain, is opposed to this particular legislation and has threatened a veto. Minnesota's Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Norm Coleman both voted for the GI Bill. Only 2 of our representatives in the House voted against this legislation (Bachmann and Kline). 1st CD Congressman Tim Walz, my representative, voted for the legislation and delivered this speech in support on the floor of congress.

This legislation recognizes the sacrifice of ALL the women and men who have served, including our national guard and reservists who have paid a heavy price in Iraq and Afghanistan. It has strong non-partisan support in Congress and has the support of many veterans organizations, including the VFW and the American Legion. Senator McCain's legislation is not as generous, would not treat the guard and reserve as equals and would require longer service times to be eligible for full benefits. Some may complain about the cost of this program but if we end our occupation of Iraq we will have plenty of extra cash on hand.

Peace & solidarity,

CHC

Despite being a Clinton appointee, another Western state governor has lent his support to Senator Barack Obama's candidacy for the Democratic nomination, following on the heels of Governor Bill Richardson's recent, similar endorsement. Discussing Obama's visit to his state in advance of last month's caucuses, Governor Dave Freudenthal said large, enthusiastic crowds "...paid attention and were riveted and reactivated, and trying to be part of an America that's bigger than just their own self-interest. And you hope that can work. Because something has got to dig us out of this morass that we've gotten into, where it's sort of gotcha politics."

Super-delegates, those automatically allocated a vote at the Democrats nominating convention, seem to be signaling a change in the tide toward Obama among the upper echelons of elected officials in the party: Democratic Senators Casey (D-PA) and Klobuchar (D-MN) both recently came out strongly in support of Barack Obama as he approaches the Pennsylvania primary on April 22. Casey's endorsement may be critical in that state. Klobuchar's constituency had favored Obama by an over 2-to-1 margin on SuperTuesday in a midwest state increasingly showing a cosmopolitan disregard for faith and/or skin color as voters there elect local and national officials.

Freudenthal was appointed U.S. attorney for Wyoming by President Bill Clinton in 1994, and held that position until 2001. He was first elected governor in 2002 and is serving his second term.

She is the second female senator to do so. Senator Claire McCaskill from Missouri endorsed him back in January.

Aside from being super delegates, Klobuchar and McCaskill have vajayjays and were therefore expected to support Hillary Clinton. By supporting Obama, the Senators prove some people actually listen to the issues when making decisions.

Read the full article HERE.

Klobuchar, the junior Senator from Minnesota, compared the Illinois Senator to the late Vice President Hubert Humphrey, also a former Minnesota senator. She said Obama speaks "with a different voice, bringing a new perspective and inspiring a real excitement from the American people."

At Minnesota's DFL caucuses on Super Tuesday the voters had expressed over a two-to-one preference for Obama over his nearest competitor but Klobuchar, one of Minnesota's super-delegates to the Democratic Nominating Convention, delayed issuing any endorsement until March 31st. Senator Obama also recently picked up the formal endorsement of Senate Democrat, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, which may prove pivotal in the weeks remaining before PA's primary on April 22, where Obama's campaign would like to close the gap with that states Democrats -- polls show they have favored Senator Clinton, though her lead appears to be shrinking as voters become more familiar with Obama and conversant with the issues, resulting in Clinton's name recognition becoming a less significant factor in the campaign.

Senator Barack Obama gained the endorsement of Minnesota junior Senator and Democratic superdelegate Amy Klobuchar this morning, highlighting the increased pressure that Obama supporters are putting to Senator Hillary Clinton to abandon her presidential campaign.  Klobuchar said her decision reflected Obama's "strong support in [Minnesota] and my own independent judgment about his abilities," calling him "proven agent for change and advocate for middle-class Americans" and comparing him to Minnesota political legend Hubert Humphrey.  Obama won Minnesota's Super Tuesday contest by large margins over Clinton; Klobuchar's endorsement is also expected to help Obama's potential general election chances in Minnesota, which some analysts label as a battleground state.

Obama has won 64 superdelegate endorsements since February 5th's Super Tuesday primaries, while Clinton has won nine.  Clinton still holds an overall lead in pledged superdelegates, an advantage built before most nominating contests began.

Minn. Sen. Klobuchar Endorses Obama - [Washington Post]

"with a different voice, bringing a new perspective and inspiring a real excitement from the American people. Barack has been a proven agent for change and advocate for middle-class Americans

In another big get for Senator Obama, North Carolina's seven Democrats in the House of Representatives will endorse Senator Obama as a group before the state's primary on May 6. The North Carolina delegation is comprised of Heath Shuler, Mike McIntyre, Melvin Watt, Brad Miller, G.K. Butterfield (who has already endorsed Senator Obama, but plans to re-endorse him with his fellow NC Democrats), David Price and Bob Etheridge.

As of March 28, Senator Clinton lead Senator Obama in endorsements of current Senators and Representatives by a count of 93 to 84. With the addition of Senator Klobuchar and the six new North Carolina Congressmen, Clinton's lead is now down to two with the count being 93-91. However, Senator Obama leads Senator Clinton in endorsements from Democratic senators 13-11 (counting Klobuchar).

Slowly but steadily, a string of Democratic Party figures is taking Barack Obama's side in the presidential nominating race and raising the pressure on Hillary Clinton to give up.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota is expected to endorse Sen. Obama Monday, according to a Democrat familiar with her plans. Meanwhile, North Carolina's seven Democratic House members are poised to endorse Sen. Obama as a group -- just one has so far -- before that state's May 6 primary, several Democrats say.

In addition, they say that there seems to be a number of superdelegates who are waiting in the wings to come out and endorse:

Meanwhile, elected officials in other states with upcoming contests, including Indiana, Montana and Oregon, are weighing whether to endorse Sen. Obama.

I wonder if Obama will be able to completely close the superdelegate gap before Pennsylvania.

How will Obama and Idusogie fare? In Minnesota, at least, richer backgrounds suggesting broader sensitivity and awareness seem to be trumping skin color, so while Idusogie clearly still faces name-recognition issues despite prior political campaigns, the voters of the state (indeed the entire region) seem quite beyond the concern over ethnicity which the national media suggests remains a significant, divisive factor when considering the Caucasian electorate. Perhaps Barack's coat-tails will pave the way for Peter's seemingly improbable journey, too, if Idusogie can win sufficient support to become his party's nominee.

Peace & Solidarity

CHC

I think more people should take the opportunity to visit with Senator Klobuchar. She is to be commended for her effort to meet with constituents and to hear their concerns. I did get a brief opportunity to personally discuss with the Senator the Bush administration's NLRB and its attack on workers ,and the Employee Free Choice Act. 

When Senator Klobuchar comes to county near you make the effort to see her and hear what she has to say and voice your concerns!

Senator Amy Klobuchar addresses

the crowd at the Blue Line

in Worthington

Peace & solidarity

CHC

This is extremely disturbing. This speaks volumes of what's going on with our troops over there in Iraq. This should never happen. From the Army Times:

“They called it an act of mutiny,” Cardenas said, still enraged that the men he considered heroes were, in his mind, slandered. “The sergeant major and the battalion commander said we were unprofessional. They said they were disappointed in us and would never forget our actions for the rest of their lives.”

But no judicial action ever came of it.

“Captain Strickland read us our rights,” DeNardi said. “We had 15 yes-or-no questions, and no matter how you answered them, it looked like you disobeyed an order. No one asked what happened. And there’s no record — no article 15. Nothing to show it happened.”

After the members of 2nd Platoon had spent a year fighting for each other and watching their buddies die, battalion leaders began breaking up the platoon. Seven noncommissioned officers were told they were being relieved for cause and moved out of the unit. Three noncommissioned officers stayed at Old Mod. Two, including Sgt. Derrick Jorcke, would remain in Iraq for one month after 2nd Platoon went home in October because they had been moved to different battalions in different areas of Iraq.

“In a way, they were put someplace where they wouldn’t have to go out again,” Johnson said. “But as an NCO, they took these guys’ leaders away and put them with people they didn’t know and trust. You knew 2nd Platoon would die for you without a second’s hesitation. That’s what made them so great. These guys need each other.”

Then, they were all flagged: No promotions. No awards. No favorable actions.

“We had PFCs miss [promotion to] specialist for two months,” DeNardi said. “Bronze Stars and [Army Commendation Medals] were put on hold. You’re talking about heroes like Cardenas. These are guys who save lives and they can’t get awards.”

“I didn’t want to punish them,” Strickland said. “I understood what was going on. But they had to understand you couldn’t do something like that and have nothing happen.”

And things could not continue as they had. Strickland could not operate for three more months with a platoon that refused to go out.

“Within the company, we made some adjustments,” Strickland said. “They needed a fresh start. After looking into it, I didn’t feel the need to punish anybody.” However, he left the flags in place.

“If anything was going to be punishment, that was it,” he said. For at least one soldier, that meant going through a promotion board again. Jorcke lost his promotion table status, but Strickland signed a memo re-establishing it. “I’ve tried to fix those issues. Almost everybody else has been promoted except one guy.” Jorcke made his E-6 on Nov. 1.

Even after the “mutiny,” Strickland said, he had a great deal of admiration for his soldiers.

“I understood why they did what they did,” he said. “Some of the NCOs, I was disappointed in them because they failed to lead their soldiers through difficult times. They let their soldiers influence their decisions. But on a personal level, I applauded their decision because they stood behind their soldiers. I was disappointed, but I thought they had great courage. It was truly a Jekyll/Hyde moment for me.”

And though they were horrified at being torn away from each other, the soldiers themselves were conflicted about the outcome.

“For us being disbanded, now we definitely had unfinished business,” Jorcke said. “If we’d cleared Adhamiya, we could have said, ‘I left Iraq and my buddies didn’t die in vain.

“But in a way, the disbanding was good,” he said. “We — what was left of the platoon — got to come back home alive.”

While the Republicans and Democrats like Senator Amy Klobuchar vote to continue to fund this war and to extend their tours of duty - more of these stories will be leaking out.

What's it going to take to end this war?!

Why are we still living in a country where our government refuses to listen to us?!

After reviewing this weeks edition of the Morrison County Record, it seems the paper is making a practice of playing "Where's Amy?" This week Klobuchar was buried behind the classifieds...second to the last news story of the C section. Senator Klobuchar was presented with the National Farmer's Union's Golden Triangle Award, the organizations highest award for leadership on behalf of farmers and rural communities. Specifically, Klobuchar was honored for her contributions to renewable energy having introduced a number of bills that promote its use. The recognition Klobuchar's earned from the paper was placed behind the Records coverage of the 4-H'ers who entertained children at Camp Ripley's open house and the 4-H dog show.

In contrast, Senator Norm Coleman was headlined  for making an announcement about economic development funds. Coleman's headline landed on page 7 of the A section directly under the "Government" banner. While the economic development funds coming to Morrison County is good news, based on the article it appears that Coleman had nothing to do with why the funds were earmarked for our area, only that he happened to be the guy who made the announcement.

Recap: Klobuchar wins a national award for work on renewable energy that will benefit the entire country and Coleman brings glad tidings. Breakdown: Coleman burps the Record coo's, Klobuchar sings an aria and the Record says... I don't think it had the same resonance as Coleman's belch, you'll have to try harder if you want your work to be deemed worthy of our Government section.

Swimming is slippers on Sunday,

Brooke Trout